| The Crescent Yacht
Club is the only boating club in Haverhill, however, this was not
always the case. Prior to the formation of the CYC, there had been a
Haverhill Yacht Club which was founded in 1885. Just north of the
Haverhill Yacht Club on Water Street, was another club known as the
Crescent Motor Boat Club which was founded in 1908. It was two members
of this club, Mr. William Holland and Mr. Ralph Rowell Sr. who first
organized what has become today's Crescent Yacht Club. The event took
place on June 17, 1936. The first meeting of the newly formed club was
held on board Mr. Holland's yacht. Later, meetings were held in the
offices of Mr. Rowell. Due to the lack of an adequate meeting place and
a desire to have a place where members could gather informally to
socialize, it was decided to build a club house on the present site of
the CYC. Construction of the building, much smaller than today's
building, began in the spring of 1937. On June 17, 1940, the CYC was
officially chartered.\
The site on which the present club sits has historical
significance. George Washington on his visit to the Haverhill area
stood on CYC grounds when he crossed the Merrimack River on the old
ferry which operated between Haverhill and Bradford.
Professional power boat races which were the craze
throughout New England during the 1950's. A few club members such as
Johnny Yemma and others owned racing boats and would compete with other
clubs. The first of these races was in 1953 and continued each summer
up to 1960. Thousands of spectators lined the bridge and both
sides of the river to watch the thrills and spills. The CYC was the
official pit stop for the races. Two of their rescue boats, Coast
Guard Rescue boats, crash crews from the CYC, a registered nurse and an
ambulance all standing by attested to the daring type of races held.
During the 1959 regatta, four racers were injured and several boats
badly damaged.
During the sixties, the CYC experienced a rapid growth
in membership. From a high of 83 in 1960, it increased to around 200 in
1969. Club activities in the sixties were many and varied. With
the constant increase in membership, boating became popular, more dock
spaces were added, cook-outs and family gatherings were held more
frequently. Attendance at meetings grew with many new programs being
undertaken by the various committees which were then flourishing in the
club. To attract a larger attendance, movies of sporting events were
shown. The club obtained a player piano and "sing-a-longs" with Beanie
Wentworth at the piano were popular. The Haverhill chapter of the
Barber Shop Quartet practiced at the club on each Wednesday which
attracted a large clientele which enhanced the health of the club.
The seventies ushered in a new breed of members, the
liesure weekend boater who's love of boating combined with a zest for
socializing increased the club membership two fold. The membership
reached 250 the maximum allowed by the club facilities and the
subsequent long waiting list of applicants attested to the popularity
of the club during this period. More programs and projects were started
during this period than ever before. During this era, more
members were boaters than ever before. Dock facilities were
expanded, an anchor recovered from ocean depths was placed on the lawn,
an observation deck was constructed on the roof along the river front
and the inside of the club remodeled.
Club boaters would often take off in groups on an early
Saturday morning and tie up together near Plum Island or Cranes Beach
to party the entire weekend. Cookouts and clam bakes with family and
CYC friends on the beaches were a favorite past time and many
friendships formed during this period have continued to today.
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| CYC TODAY |
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The boat parade, a very
popular event, in 2007 celebrated it's 30th year. It was started
in 1976 to coincide with the nation's bicentennial. This event
draws hundreds of people to the club grounds and the shores of the
Merrimack River each year and is a delightful event for young and old
alike. Each year, the CYC in conjunction with the North End Boat Club
of Newburyport provide a spectacular event with food, prizes and show
off decorated boats.
The 1980's was a continuation of the fine programs started in
the seventies. Membership was up to full strength during this period
with long waiting lists. Socializing, with dances, weddings, outings
and boating on the river dominated the club activities.
Canoe races were started in the mid eighties to raise money
for the March of Dimes. This became a popular annual event along the
river and continues today as a fundraiser for the Massachusetts Special
Olympics.
In 1982, due to federal budget constraints, the Coast Guard
who for many years had installed and maintained the channel markers in
the Merrimack River, notified the boating community that they would no
longer perform this function and would remove the 25 markers from
Haverhill to Amesbury. This decision would greatly effect the operation
of the boating activities of the club which could not assume the
maintenance of around $100 per marker. A campaign was mounted to
reverse this decision and hundreds of letters were written to
legislators and a hue and cry was raised by local papers and club
members. The decision to remove the markers was finally reversed and
the potential cost in human life and property damage was averted.
The Massachusetts Maratime Scolarship Trust was founded in
1982 with the intent of providing a student planning to attend the
maritime academy with financial aid to pay for books or tuition.
The 1990’s mark a period of growth in the history of
the club that primarily affected the physical appearance of the
building and the surroundings. For years the docks ran parallel
to the riverbank from the adjacent city boat ramp to a length of
200’ upriver which overlapped the property to the west. In
1996 a new dock configuration was built consisting of a main dock
extending 180’ straight out into the river. The existing
docks from the old configuration were utilized as fingers.
At about the same time, it was decided to relpace the aging
wall made of railroad ties. Constructed in the 1970, the wall had
begun to slowly deteriorate during the 90’s. By 1995
the wall had decayed badly enough to become a safety hazard.
“H” beams were driven into the riverbed and slabs of
concrete slipped between them. The new wall actually straightened
the club’s front yard increasing the land footprint
slightly. The new wall should prevent erosion for many years to
come.
A byproduct of the wall reconstruction was the opportunity
(and need) to landscape the front of the club from scratch. After the
wall had been replaced a new ornamental fence was put up replacing the
old chain link fence. A new lawn was rolled out and a new walkway
and dock access ramp poured. A new flagpole was designed
and constructed as a replica of a sailing vessel’s mast complete
with yardarm, gaff and rigging. A ship’s wheel was placed
near the base of the flagpole and stern rail constructed into the
concrete pad. The large ancient anchor which decorated the front
yard for years was placed in front of the flagpole.
Another major undertaking affecting the appearance of the
club was the plan to remodel the interior. During the summer of
1997, Construction began. A new large rectangular bar more than
doubled bar seating and the restrooms were relocated. The club
was closed for six weeks and reopened the day before the boat parade.
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so it is with renewed spirit that the Crescent Yacht Club sails on into
the 21st Century. Seeking to grow in numbers and expand
it’s activities on the Merrimack River, helping to promote
boating, and protect the magnificent resource on whose banks we sit. |
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| Special thanks to Maxwell Ball, Club Historian. |
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Thanks for visiting
and come back soon!
Crescent Yacht Club
30 Ferry Street
Bradford, MA 01835
978-374-9683
cyc01835@yahoo.com
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